Matayoshi, Raiders dominate Warriors

No. 2 Raiders pound top team

Iolani senior forward Alana Matayoshi says she doesn't read the newspapers, but a day after Iolani was ranked second behind Kamehameha in the season-opening girls basketball top 10 poll, she and the rest of her teammates put on a show like they had something to prove.

The 5-foot-8 Matayoshi dominated at both ends of the court with 14 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists and Jamie Smith controlled the paint with a game-high 17 points and six rebounds as No. 2 Iolani walloped top-ranked Kamehameha 49-33 last night in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu season opener for both teams.

Kamehameha (9-1, 0-1) entered the game undefeated in preseason play, but clearly hadn't played a team like Iolani, which played with more fire and intensity from the outset. The Raiders had 18 steals and forced 23 turnovers as Kamehameha trailed the entire game.

"Our team is our strength and everybody came out with that intensity we need," Iolani coach Glenn Takara said. "We just did a good job of executing what we needed to do."

The Raiders jumped out to an 11-3 lead as Kamehameha converted just one field goal in the opening 5 minutes while turning the ball over six times against a tough three-quarter court pressure defense by the Raiders.

Iolani led by as many as 11 in the opening frame, but Lindsey Wong nailed a 3-pointer near the end of the period as Iolani led 17-9 after the opening 8 minutes.

Another shot by Wong, who had seven of her 10 points in the first half, brought Kamehameha to within four at 21-17, but the Raiders forced back-to-back turnovers that resulted in fast-break layups as Iolani took a 29-22 halftime lead.

"We always try to focus on our defense and it was nice to get out there and get those steals," Matayoshi said.

Kamehameha's Analee Viena Lota led the Warriors with three 3-pointers and 13 points, and scored the opening basket of the second half to pull the Warriors to within five.

Consecutive buckets by Matayoshi started an 8-1 Iolani run as the Raiders pushed the lead back to double digits before Viena Lota scored five points in 17 seconds late in the third quarter as Kamehameha made one last run at Iolani.

But Raiders sophomore Tami Konishi swished a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left in the period, and Kamehameha was outscored 12-3 the rest of the game.

"That was our first real test of the season and we absolutely got our butts kicked," Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett said.

"They came out with more fire than us and played with a lot more intensity and we just played like we were scared."

Iolani's aggressiveness also paid off at the free-throw line as the Raiders converted 15 of 20 foul shots.

The Warriors were just 3-for-7, settling primarily for outside shots instead of trying to draw fouls. Iolani had 12 assists off of 16 field goals made and actually outrebounded a taller Warriors team 19-14.

Mililani 47, Pearl City 38

The Trojans led by 12 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Chargers pulled to within 37-34 with 3 minutes to play. Mililani -- led by Joleen Realin with 14 points and Chelsea Basilio's 10 -- responded with a 10-4 run to close out the game.

OIA WHITE

Waialua 34, Anuenue 3

The Bulldogs spoiled the Anuenue girls' first game ever behind nine points apiece from Chelsey Ramirez and Angela Whitaker in the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Division season opener for both teams.

Punawai Crawford-Kapanui led the Hawaiian immersion school with two points, while Leikula Gottleib hit a free throw to put Anuenue on the scoreboard for the first time in the second quarter.

"It was an exciting moment," Anuenue teacher Lapule Schultz said. "Everybody understood it was the first point (ever)."